From Tender to Indestructible
Once upon a time my shell was tender
Easily bruised by the use of words
The sting of heavy glares
Once upon a time I cared so much
About others’ approval
Was left disheveled if I was rejected
But now in time my shell has grown indestructible
Having a truer relationship with self
I don’t crumble if I tumble publicly
If others think they know me and scour
I stand stronger in my conviction
To be bold enough
To love oneself truly is life’s reward
The Deep End
Life is so fast
With just a glance
One can encounter romances
But will it last
So much importance
An outer appearance
Believing that what we’re seeing
Will give birth to deeper meaning
Swimming in shallow pools
Beacause the water feels good
Need to gain the courage
To explore deeper territories
The real stories of partnership
The experience of trying to bond with
another human being,
afraid, in like, in confusion, and in love
Can we break away
From searching on the surface
Getting lost in image,
Sneakers and clothing, can’t hold it
the true emotion someone real can bring
The Burning
The burning
Like being eternal
And yet someone’s pouring lava
All over your skin
Though silky with movement,
The melting is all-consuming,
That’s the emotion I felt with you
Didn’t know how to get through
Until I learned how to,
Turn fire into ice
Numbing what was burning
Until I’m frozen from the world
I survived in ice,
Erecting barriers that fight,
My battles for me
Not feeling held in an icy winter
The opposite of molten lava
Frozen at the center
Lying at the bottom of the sea
That was what life was for me
Once a charred disaster
That froze over in time
Now after many sunrises
A new spring has finally arrived
Timothy Wayne Moore, 27, is pursuing a master’s degree in leadership from Rosemont College.